What Lily and Dumbledore and Snape Had Understood
by ADustlandFairytale
Summary: Magic is not owned. It can ebb and flow in ways the Wizarding world does not understand yet. And magic does not always manifest in spells. As Harry, Hermione and Ron meet Voldemort on the battlefield, Draco Malfoy makes a choice.
1. Chapter 1

Harry fell from Hagrid's arms and rolled back towards his friends. He lifted himself up, ignoring the pain and exhaustion in his muscles, and stood to face Tom. Gasps of joy rose behind him; whimpers of fear fell from the lips of the death eaters before him. For a moment, every individual stood perfectly still, perfectly silent. Tom's eyes burned red like hellfire. He refused to break a sweat under Tom's gaze; let the snake believe Harry Potter was unkillable. He saw a twitch of movement among the stoney sea of black opposite him.

Draco Malfoy had felt a pull of energy from across the courtyard. It had filled him the moment Potter had risen from the ground, his very existence mocking the Dark Lord. A younger Draco, one that was more naive and stupid, would have felt anger and envy at Potter's careless defiance of a man he feared so deeply. But as he watched Potter stare down his master as though he was no more than a schoolyard bully, the same look Potter had given him for six years, he felt the pull of the light. Draco knew then that he could save himself in a way that climbing the ranks of Voldemort's bloody ladder never would.

He felt the weight of his wand in his right hand. He had taken it from Potter's corpse in the forbidden forest, but the magic felt wrong. The allegiance had changed, though Draco had not understood until now. He felt his mark burn and knew Voldemort was about to strike. His eyes met his mum's and she nodded, a slightest of movements, in acceptance. It was his turn to defy their Dark Lord. Draco bolted forward, a crack of lightning amongst black hoods, and cried out.

'Potter!' he screamed, launching the wand back towards its new owner.

Harry jumped and caught the wand in his fist. In the same movement, he flicked his wrist to cast expelliarmus, meeting Tom's killing curse.

Draco kept running and didn't look back. He heard his evil aunt scream after him as if her chest had been ripped open. Not looking where he was going, he almost crashed into Weasley. Small hands caught him just in time and he looked into the shining, hazel eyes of Hermione Granger.

'You did good Malfoy, but you can't fight without a wand' she said, before running after Potter.

He watched Granger fly above the rubble and fire her wand twice in the same jump, hitting two snatchers. The same girl who, just days before, had been rolling on the floor of his drawing-room, twitching from the effects of the cruciatus and screaming as a monstrous bitch carved into her arm with a knife. Now, her face was a devastation of untouchable fury, determination and hope. In that moment, he thought Granger was the most immortal thing he had ever seen.

Weasley shoved him behind a crumbling statue, narrowly avoiding a stunning spell that would have caught them. Draco looked up towards him, feeling his strong freckled hand clutching at the Slytherin crest on his jumper.

'Glad we didn't leave you to burn in that fire, I guess' Weasley said with an almost-smile. He let Draco go and ran to take his place next to Potter.

Draco looked through a crack in the statue and released a breath of relief when he saw no sign of his parents. His mother would have been smart enough to disapparate herself and father as soon as Draco had defected.

Hermione saw the deranged form of Bellatrix walk towards her and Ginny, blocking their path to Harry.

'I'll kill you mudblood!' she spat 'I'll fucking kill you, I'll kill Potter's little whore and then destroy my filthy traitor of a nephew!'

'Avada ke-' she began to scream, but Ginny stunned her with a freezing spell. Ginny held Bellatrix in her spell, waiting, giving Hermione the choice. Hermione read the understanding in her friend's eyes...

Behind the crack, Draco watched it all. His professors filling the skies with their patronuses, keeping the ground safe from dementors. Students and Order members chasing remaining death eaters to the edges of the forest. He watched Weasley battle Greyback, a beast that terrified him. He watched Longbottom pick Gryffindor's sword from the snake's neck and battle a dozen giant spiders. Lovegood and Thomas moving the injured to safety from no-man's-land, where Granger stood. He saw Ginny Weasley and Granger hold his aunt's life in their hands. Children, just like him, being braver than he or his father ever had been. He felt his connection to all of them and understood he had been allowed his second chance, the magic had let him in. He would not waste it.

_You did good Malfoy. _

_Glad we didn't leave you._

_You did good..._

He ran to Lavender Brown's body. Her eyes stared into lifeless into the sky and Draco closed them, hoping she had found peace wherever she was. He hoped the same for Crabbe. Then he picked Brown's wand and placed a hand on her forehead in silent thanks. He turned towards the battlefield.

Hermione watched as Ginny forced Bellatrix's body to her knees, waiting. She pulled the dagger from her bag, which miraculously had remained on her person. _The_ dagger. She watched as the witch's black eyes finally turned to fear. Ginny saw her friend's face contort into something dark.

'Whatever you choose Hermione, we will love you. But…' Ginny began to trail off.

'But I am not like her.' Hermione finished for her. She threw the dagger away and bound Bellatrix in chains.

'Azkaban will have you. Harry will have your precious master. And now you can rot for the rest of your life knowing that a mudblood didn't kill you. That a mudblood _spared _you.'

Hermione spat and snapped Bellatrix's borrowed wand, before kicking her bound body out of the way. She gripped Ginny's arm and they ran towards Harry.

On Harry's right, he felt Ron's energy flow as he stunned a pack of werewolves. He felt Tom's rage descend into fear and despair; it was almost time.

Ron fired a spell that broke Greyback's leg and disarmed him of his wand. He felt the presence of magic behind him, one he had not been connected to before. Draco came up next to him, covered in dust and scratches. He had fought back three death eaters which, compared to the efforts of Weasley and Granger, may not have seemed like much. But for Draco it was monumental.

'He killed Brown' he stated.

Ron felt his stomach turn. He already knew.

'Yeah. He killed Fred too.' he replied.

'What will you do?'

'I want to hurt him. I want to burn him on a pyre. Or nail him to the bottom of the lake and let him drown.'

Malfoy looked at Greyback's cowering form. So many sleepless nights had been lost to his fear of this greasy, pitiful excuse for a man. Now, he saw him as Weasley did. Pathetic.

'But I won't.' Weasley continued. 'If Harry, if the last six years, has taught me anything it's that I can always choose to be a good man.'

Ron looked at Draco for a moment, his words turning into a message. He flicked his want to produce a large metal container and locked Greyback into it. Draco nodded and together, they turned to Harry.

Harry felt his power rise without needing to look. They were overcoming darkness. He watched as Tom flicked his eyes towards his soldiers; almost all had fallen or been bound. It had only been seconds but to Harry, his colloportus with Tom seemed to go on for a lifetime.

'Can you feel it Tom?' rasped Harry as he felt himself gaining control of the colloportus.

'You will...die Potter!' Tom screamed back, his voice cracking.

Hermione channelled her energy towards her heart and looked at Ginny to do the same. Quickly, members of the Order and Dumbledore's Army alike began to understand and did the same. She looked around at all her friends and felt their joys, pains and hopes become one force.

'That wand won't be able to kill me Tom. And even if it could, we are protected by something you will never have.' Harry shouted.

Draco imagined the face of his mother and allowed himself to feel the hope of a new world. Of a victory that he could be on the right side of. One not born from the blood of muggle-borns but from the struggle and love of the people he now stood amongst. He saw life swirl inside bottomless hazel eyes. He directed his magic towards his heart, getting ready to release it.

Hermione watched as mere seconds expanded into what seemed like an endless breath of time. Beside her, she felt Ron's magic surge with anticipation. On her other side, Ginny gripped her wand tighter, her own energy flowing stronger than ever before. Hermione felt it in the ground and in the air - her veins burned with life and light. Harry's miracle had united their magic. Hers, Ron's, Neville's, Seamus', McGonagall, Luna's, George's, Hagrid's...even Draco Malfoy's. Every member of the light was connected. She breathed and the oxygen fuelled her like a dragon. Like a Phoenix.

Harry could sense the energy behind him and knew, in every inch of his body, that this is what Lily and Dumbledore and Snape had all understood. What Tom never had - he felt love's magic grow into tangible energy. He felt the magic of Ron, Hermione and Ginny twirl with his, their power solidifying in a way they had never known was possible. He knew final moment was upon them. He felt old and young and everything in between.

'You can still surrender, Tom.' Harry said solemnly, extending the choice even knowing what the answer would be. He stood on his feet as Tom slowly sunk to his knees, desperately trying to hold on to the colloportus.

Tom breathed fire into the sky and used all his strength to push his curse back towards Harry's chest.

At that moment, Harry felt the power and love of a dozen people flow through his veins and to his wand. Ginny pushed her energy directly into the centre of Harry's back, imagining it was going straight to his heart. They each gave Harry their protection; magic in its purest form.

The curse rebounded and Harry's 'expelliarmus' knocked the elder-wand from Tom's hand. They watched Voldemort fall. Harry felt himself sway back and was caught by Ron just in time.

'He's gone' he whispered as Ron held him.

'Yeah, mate.'

Hermione sank to her knees before them and wrapped them in her arms. She looked round to find Ginny but her eyes caught Malfoy's instead. For the first time, there was no animosity or hatred, no fear, no anger or pity living in the pools of silver. It was just a look between two people. No more or less.

They were no longer on opposing sides.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy walked out of the ministry of magic a free man (basically). No longer a very rich man (still _quite _rich, mind you) but the Malfoy and Black fortunes in their entirety could not match the price of his freedom. In their testaments, Potter, Weasley and other members of the Order had called him an ally. Potter declared to the Wizengamot that Narcissa had saved his life, but that Draco had fully participated in the battle on the side of the light and had changed the course of the war by throwing him his wand at the last second. Potter had even called Draco a hero, to which the court scoffed.

But it was Granger's testimony that shook him...that changed him in a fundamental way.

_You did good Malfoy._

She stood in the centre of the room with all the confidence of a warrior and all the calmness of a monk.

'You have asked me to attest whether Draco Malfoy is a danger to society' she began.

'Draco Malfoy's part as a death eater was driven by his love for his parents, as much as by fear. He was not chasing power, not really. He was a- a scared boy trying to keep his mum safe whilst the embodiment of greed and cruelty took over his home. But Draco went a step further. He made a choice to right himself when it counted the most. He fought against Voldemort's followers in the battle knowing fully that if we didn't win, he and his parents would be tortured and killed as traitors.

'You have spoken at length about his character at school. About how he used to bully me and my friends, his past views on blood purity and his actions against Hogwarts, against Dumbledore. I say, focus on how he is different _now, _from what he used to be. Harry himself said he saw Ma-Draco, lower his wand. He was never going to kill Dumbledore. In fact, Draco never killed anybody.'

'He put the life of Albus Dumbledore and Katie Bell in danger, not to mention the lives of the entire Hogwarts cohort by allowing Death Eaters into the castle. So I would advise you to climb off that high horse, Miss Granger' cried a judge.

Draco watched as Granger eyed the angry member of the Wizengamot as if she were no more than a frustrating first year in her classroom.

'If we are going to open a discussion about putting students in danger then I suggest the Ministry take a long, hard look at its own behaviour over the past six years.' Ganger patronized.

'How DARE you-' responded the judge.

'Students won this war!' shouted Granger. 'Students and members of the Order. We fought a war in the name of goodness, and justice, and- and fairness and love. And everything else the Ministry _should_ stand for. But where were you? Where were any of you? You sit here in your pressed robes and silly hats, passing judgement on death eaters. Fine! But Draco _did _fight in the end. That is what matters; he made the choice to fight with us. And for you judge and decide the fate of a boy who did more to stop Tom Riddle than any of you, than all of you…' she held back tears and Draco was lost in her fierceness.

'No, he is not a danger to society and should be cleared of charges' she eventually mumbled.

He wished he could tell her that it was okay. That he was not worth her damaging her relationship with the Ministry for.

'Miss Granger' Kingsley spoke softly. 'You are, as usual, correct.'

The Wizengamot muttered sharply at Shakelbolt's words.

'Students won this war' he continued. 'Students who should have been taking their final exams, practising their spells by the lake and competing for the Quidditch cup final. We will not forget the sacrifices that you, Mr Potter and your friends made.'

She was silent, watching Kingsley intently as he spoke, waiting for him to be the leader she hoped for or a disappointment to her, along with the rest of the stuffy court.

'As for you, Mr Malfoy...' Kingsley boomed suddenly, ensuring the entire room was listening.

It was the first time Draco had been spoken to directly since the first day of his trial.

'We have heard from Death Eaters, from Professors and some of your classmates. We are here to determine whether your behaviour during the war marks you as a danger to society or not.' Granger scoffed and Kingsley eyed her with a warning.

'I was fighting during the battle as well, Mr Malfoy. I have my own understanding of who you truly are but the final judgement will be put to a vote. So...I would like the court to hear from you now. This is your chance to explain yourself.'

Draco looked up at the expectant faces around him. He saw Potter and Weasley sitting in one of the high rows, expressionless. He looked round to where his mum sat. Her own trial was the following day but she had been allowed to be present at his. Finally, he looked up at Granger and the small smile she afforded him. One that told him to keep fighting for that second chance.

'I- I am Draco Malfoy' he began in a stutter.

Members of the Wizengamot rolled their eyes and he swallowed his nerves.

_Come on, do better_ Granger's eyes said.

He nodded with resolve and tried again.

'I ... was raised in a house that stood for everything the Da- that Voldemort, also stood for.' he finally said. His story began to take a hold of him and he let it go, more open and honest than he had been in a long time. And the entire time he spoke, he held Granger's gaze.

'I was a bully and I believed in blood-purity. When I was younger, I believed that mudbl- that muggleborns, were lesser than purebloods. That they had stolen their magic from us. But as I grew older I realised that wasn't true. Magic is not owned, not really. It's an energy that can ebb, flow, be shared.'

He paused for a moment, remembering what it felt like to be connected to the magic of so many others. How futile and meaningless Voldemort's cause seemed when compared to that.

'I didn't kill Dumbledore or Katie Bell but I did hurt them. And I did let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. I take responsibility for that and for taking the Dark Mark. I am truly regretful of my actions. I see myself what I was. Envious of Potter's natural talent. Envious of Weasley's loving family. Envious of your unbeatable intelligence, Granger. Envious, jealous, spoilt and mean. A coward. And when Potter stood, defying Voldemort's killing curse a _second _time, I saw myself more clearly than ever. I wanted to be a part of something right, something good. I wanted to be a better person. So I made that choice.' He finished.

For a moment, he thought about saying something else. He knew he wanted to tell her something else, perhaps that he was sorry. And grateful.

_You did good Malfoy_.

But he would not cheapen his apology or sincerity by telling her here, in front of all these people. Hopefully, he would tell her privately someday.

The room remained quiet for a minute as they considered his words. Then, Kingsley asked the room to vote.

'_In the case of Draco Malfoy…'_

Two-thirds of the room voted to place him under house arrest for a month. They also voted for half of the Malfoy fortune to be used as reparations for the damage caused by the war. Granger made her disapproval at that very clear to the court but was held back by Weasley before her language could turn crude. He heard Potter remind her that it could have gone a lot worse.

Hermione turned out of Weasley's arm and faced Draco, who had hardly taken his eyes off her. He smiled up at her; a genuine one, far better than that awful "posh-boy" sneer he had always used. She let her anger go and understood his calm expression. For him, this was a win.

He was escorted out of the room and managed to nod in appreciation to Potter before being pushed out. Days later, he watched as ministry personnel ransacked his manor as part of their 'reparations'. _Take the lot, _he thought. Once his house arrest was over, he'd burn the Manor to the ground anyway. He'd build something entirely new, something better.

Something that, perhaps, Hermione Granger would feel comfortable having a cup of tea in.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry and Ginny sat on the floor of Sirius' old bedroom. The walls had been painted white and Ginny had picked some bright yellow curtains that glowed when the sun shone through. A photo of Sirius and James hung on the wall in a frame that Harry had painted in red and gold. They had cleaned, varnished, repaired and rebuilt Grimmauld place until it sparkled. A far warmer home than it had ever been.

The first few weeks after the battle, Ginny had stayed home with her mourning family whilst Harry and Hermione helped organise the Ministry. Ron would join them at times, but always returned to the Burrow. Mr and Mrs Wealsey had fallen into a deep depression, Percy refused to get out of bed and George...George had become utterly dependent on them. He needed help getting up, washing, feeding. It was a difficult couple of weeks but eventually, seeing his two youngest children struggle with the weight of the whole family's pain, Mr Weasley forced himself out of his numbed state and began to help. A few days later, Mrs Weasley came back to them and started caring for George so that Ron did not have so much pressure.

'I know we're all in a lot of pain at the moment, Ron' Ginny whispered to him one day, as they shared butterbeer on the porch in a rare moment to themselves … 'but you've never seemed stronger to me. Not even when you were fighting in the battle.'

Ron flinched slightly at the mention of war, but took her hand as a sign of appreciation.

'You've really stepped up. And you've lost just as much as the rest of us. You could've been with Harry and Hermione right now, making changes and shaping decisions and being all ... important. But instead, you're here with us. It just- it just means a lot' she finally finished, wiping a tear from her cheek.

Ron's eyebrows shot up in surprise; the unbreakable Ginny Weasley was shedding a tear for him.

'Thanks, Gin. And back at you, y'know. You could've been over there with them but you stayed too. Guess there's more than one type of _important_' he shrugged.

She smiled and shook her head. 'You really are so much smarter than you let us believe'.

'I am telling you Gin, I was _the _brains behind the whole operation! Sure, Harry is the "ideas man" and Hermione is the "smartest person ever" or whatever, but I was the one that made sure we ate. Can't be smart without fuel'! He grinned.

And for the first time since Fred's death, they shared a laugh. A small laugh, one that only lasted a few seconds, but all the power of love that Dumbledore had spoken about was held within that laugh. It was within every ounce of the Burrow, even as the Weasleys ached with loss and heartbreak. It was there every time Ginny forced Percy to go for a walk with her, or when Ron fed George mashed potatoes, when Bill came over every day to help Mr Weasley experiment with his car and when Charlie came back every weekend to spend an hour holding his mum, letting her cry over Fred until she fell asleep. It was there when, a month after Fred's death, Harry had a breakdown in the middle of Sunday dinner, and ran out into the marshes. Ron held everyone back and told them that this one was for him to sort. When Hermione and Ginny spent a night eating popcorn and watching "_Life Is Beautiful"_ on Mr Weasley's old TV, eventually crying and holding each other for everything they had lost.

It was all the love that Ginny hoped she and Harry would create in their new home. Months after the war, as the Weasleys began to get sort-of back to a routine, she moved to Grimmauld place and began rebuilding it with Harry. Ron had an open invitation and his own room in their home, as well as Hermione.

Ginny picked up her takeaway noodles and finished the last bit of shrimp, struggling with her chopsticks. Harry watched her drop the shrimp onto her lap, swearing and shoving it into her mouth.

'Fucking shrimp' she muttered, causing him to grin.

She looked up and met his smile.

'Are you looking at _me,_ Mr Potter?' she grinned back.

'I am Miss Weasley. You're too sexy to resist, especially with soy sauce all over your trousers.'

'Oh well...if it's soy sauce that gets you going…'

She bounced up, soy sauce bottle in hand and began drowning his hair in it.

'Not the hair Ginny, never the hair!' he cried as he ran out of the room.

She laughed her evil laugh and chased him to the kitchen, where he waited with a packet of flour.

'It's so on Weasley' he smirked.

'Oh Potter, you're talking to the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. I can take an old has-been like you!' she squealed as he started throwing handfuls of flour into her hair.

A.D.F

Hermione and Ron sat on Hampstead Heath with sandwiches in their bellies, watching the sunset. His stomach rumbled and she laughed, loud and genuine.

'You ate three sandwiches and an ice-cream. And half _my _ice-cream!' she cried.

He let out a small burp just to annoy her and she rolled her eyes in response.

'Powerful war heroes such as myself don't abide by the same laws of hunger as the rest, 'Mione' he said nonchalantly.

She swatted his shoulder lightly and handed him the box of grapes. They had decided not to get together after the war, caring for each other more deeply as friends than they ever could have as lovers.

'How have your therapy sessions been going?' she asked after a few minutes of peaceful silence.

'Good actually. I'm glad you suggested them. Sorry that I was so against them in the beginning,' he replied sheepishly.

She waved her hand dismissively.

'Actually, I haven't been going alone…' he began, a bit uncertain whether to proceed.

'Well, I mean I've been _going _alone but I'm not alone when I'm there. Because, um, well Luna goes to the same sessions. Not my private ones obviously ... I mean the, um, the group sessions. She's there and we've been talking. And I apologised for the time I called her "Looney", she's actually very smart you know? Oh well, of course, you know … she talks about you! All the time, in fact; she always talks about you, Harry, Gin and Neville. But the thing is, erm, we've been- been getting closer…' he spoke in a flurry.

Hermione placed her hand on his, to calm him.

'Ron, you don't need my permission to ask anybody out. You and I, we belong to each other the same sort of way that we belong to Harry. And not that you need this either, but if you want to ask out someone as wonderful as Luna, then I completely approve. Wrackspurts and all' she smiled warmly.

He squeezed her hand. They opened their beers and watched as the sunset behind the London skyline.

'Hermione?' Ron asked later, as they packed the blanket and leftovers.

'Yes?'

'Did you ever respond to that letter Malfoy sent you?'

She hesitated, unsure whether to tell him the full story.

'I did...and actually we've been talking. Now, I don't want you to mock me, okay?'

'Mione, I have matured and grown into a respectful young lad and stellar friend. I think I may even compete with Harry for the title of 'Hermione's best friend' at this point. I am forgiving and wise. I promise I will not mock you' he assured her, failing to stop his cheeky smile slip through.

She opened her mouth to answer.

'Of course, I'll mock him-' he interjected. 'He is a ferret after all. Battle or no battle, redemption aside, he will always be a ferret.'

'For Morgana's sake Ronald!' She rolled her eyes and began stomping away.

'What?' he held his hands in mock innocence.

'Hermione I won't judge you if you want to be friends with a ferret. And hey, if you want more than friendship with a ferret then ... I mean, Harry and I might have a quick chat with it beforehand. Ginny might delicately fill it with the fear of Merlin himself, but we love you and want you to be happy. So you want to be with a ferret; who am I to judge …' he said, chasing after her and failing to hide his amusement.


End file.
